Chelsea fitness coach to become Head of Performance at Derby

CHELSEA first-team fitness coach Chris Jones is to become Frank Lampard’s Head of Performance at Derby County.

The duo worked closely together when Lampard played for the Blues. Jones, 47, first moved to Stamford Bridge in 2006 from neighbouring Fulham, initially with the Academy before being promoted to first-team duties under Carlo Ancelotti.

Since then the Englishman has worked under six different managers at Stamford Bridge - Andre Villas-Boas, Roberto di Matteo, Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Guus Hiddick and Antonio Conte.

The former England Under-18 international is also well known by Derby assistant manager Jody Morris, who joined the Rams at the start of this month. Morris, a former Chelsea midfielder, was U21 and then U18 coach with the Blues from 2013.